Have you ever watched a film in which an animal character (not just a random animal) dies? Films like I Am Legend, Marley and Me, Old Yeller. Despite all the other stuff that goes on the most memorable moments are often when animal characters die, I think because they're seen as essentially innocent whereas humans obviously have some control over their choices.

Yeah it's not often in GoT you get half way through a scene and think "what is the point of this?". There was no character development or anything in that scene, the whole time I was just waiting for Varys to come in so he could say his stuff and we could move on.